The design of Honda's new-generation, 670cc, liquid-cooled, 2-cylinder engine has clean lines and is approachably progressive. The engine is compact and unostentatious, its powerfully forward-tilting cylinders purposefully suggesting its fuel-efficient character. The simple surface contours of the crankcase mean that rather than just be the engine's exterior, it is in fact, along with the cowl, one of several external components that work together with a functional, streamlined beauty to express the engine's mechanical fearlessness.

The NC700S's matte gun-metal coating imparts a sense of solidity to the engine area and makes its taut styling even more distinctive. The NC700X's silver coating gives it an air of nimbleness that is in keeping with the model concept.